I would like to introduce Taishoboseki’s annual event, which is crucial day for all employees.

In February, the Hatsu-uma Festival is held at Inari shrines all over Japan to pray for a good harvest, prosperity in business, better fortune, and safety in the home.

Hatsu-uma refers to the first day of the horse in February, and the festival was supposed to be held on that day as usual.  However, this year, the President, the Sales Department, the General Affairs Department, and the Manufacturing Department all gathered and prayed for business prosperity and plant safety at Taisho Inari, located on the premises on February 21, the second horse day.  This change is due to the schedule of operation.

The clear voice of the Shinto priest echoed through the air, and a sense of tension filled the air as the festival began.

The priest handed each of the participants a tamagushi (a small stick of rice), and we all bowed to him.

Even though I have been participating in this event every single year, I cannot help feeling to worry whether or not I remember to bow. To be honest, I always think like “What if I make a mistake?” I’m always worried about my manners until my turn comes.

Every year it’s cold enough to make me shiver, but this year it was warm enough that I didn’t mind waiting at all.

The festival proceeded quietly, and everyone finished praying for prosperity while participating Tamagushi-hairei eventually.

I was also able to pray for the prosperity of our business without making any mistakes.

In the end, we made a circle and performed OSAKAJIME. ＊¹

TEJIME is one of the Japanese manners and customs. To celebrate things having been over, we take a step to rhythm with a shout. *¹

“U-chimasho （Let’s hit）, Pan-Pan! (Clapping our hands.)

Mo Hitose, Pampan! Iwoute Sando, Pa, Paan-Pan! (Another ridge, panpan. Let’s celebrate it for three times, pa-paan, pan!)”

Last year, on February 14, the day of the Hatsu-uma Festival, the highest temperature in Osaka was 7.9 degrees Celsius, and on this day it was a whopping 15.2 degrees Celsius. The average temperature in Osaka in February this year was the fifth warmest, and January was the warmest in the Japan Meteorological Agency’s data starting from 1883.

http://www.data.jma.go.jp/obd/stats/etrn/view/monthly_s3.php?prec_no=62&block_no=47772

This year’s warm winter was felt firsthand since it is an annual outdoor event.

I wanted to use this as an opportunity to rethink deeply about climate change.